(Jenni) Pack Rat!!!!

Brittney thinks I need to join a help group like an AA group for pack rats.

OK OK OK

I admit it:

MY NAME IS JENNIFER AND I AM A PACK RAT.

 You are all probably wondering why in the world I am posting a picture with my bread maker....well, when we moved the little hand that mixes the bread was no where to be found. This Christmas break I have been cleaning and getting rid of old stuff. (Thanks Brittney, it was fun). I made two loads to the dump and still have more to go. While cleaning things out I found the missing part. I was so excited that I almost made those around me go deaf.

I made Dalea's Cinnamon Rolls (bread machine)

They were so good!!!!

3/4 C. + 1 TBSP warm milk

1 egg

3TBSP sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

4 TBSP butter

2 tsp. active dry yeast

3-31/2 cups flour

Put all in bread machine with butter in the corners. Use the dough setting. When done, knead dough 1 minute on floured surface. Then rest 15 minutes (I didn't have time so I skipped that part). Roll out and butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll and cut. Cover and raise until doubled. Cook 375 for 15-20 minutes.

FROSTING

4oz. cream cheese

1/2 C. butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend

Should be thick. Spread on fresh rolls.

I know this picture is not appealing, but trust me, it was so good!!!!
Chili out of the Declo Centennial Cookbook p. 51

HOMEMADE CHILI

1 lb hamburger

1 onion

1 pkg. chili seasoning

1 can red beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can tomato paste (I used a 12oz can)

salt to taste
(I added about 3-4 cups of water)

Brown the hamburger and onions together. Mix the rest of the ingredients and combine with the browned hamburger. Simmer on medium high for about 15-20 minutes. This works great in the crock pot.

After the hamburger and onions are browned, put everything in the crock pot and cook for 3 hours or more over low heat. (I didn't have the time, so I just cooked it over the stove. It was still REALLY GOOD!

(Jenni) Ginger Bread House

This is one thing we did at our house.

It's just something fun to do and Carl really looks forward to shooting it when Christmas is over.

Poor Carl...........when will he learn.........Sally is the BOSS????!!!!!!!!

Next year I am getting two houses. Carl tried to be nice, but it was just no fun having to share with Sal.

(Jenni) Christmas Ham

My Mother-in-law saw this on America's Test Kitchen and made it. I tried one bite and had to have the recipe. It is sooooo GooD!

The glaze was so good and easy.

1 spiral sliced ham (7-10 pounds)
Maple-Orange Glaze:
3/4 C. maple syrup
1/2 C. orange marmalade (I had apricot and it was also good)
2 TBSP unsalted butter
1 TBSP Dijon mustard (I only had regular and it was fine)
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon


Leaving ham's inner plastic or foil covering intact, place ham in a large bowl with hot tap water; set aside for 45 minutes. Drain and cover again with hot tap water; set aside for another 45 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Unwrap ham; (if it is a bone in ham remove the plastic disk covering bone.) Place ham in oven bag. Gather top of bag tightly so bag fits snugly around ham, tie bag, and trim excess plastic. Set ham cut side down in large roasting pan and cut 4 slits in top of bag with paring knife.

Bake ham until center registers 100 degrees, 1 -1 1/2 hours (about 10 minutes per pound).

Remove ham from oven and increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. Cut open oven bag and roll back sides to expose ham. Brush ham with one third of glaze and return to oven until glaze becomes sticky, about 10 minutes. (If glaze gets too thick, return to heat to loosen).

Remove ham from oven, transfer to cutting board, and brush entire ham with another third of glaze. Let ham rest, loosely tented with foil, for 15 minutes. While ham rests, heat remaining third of glaze with 4 to 5 tablespoons of ham juices until it forms thick but fluid sauce.Carve and serve ham, passing sauce at table.

To Make the glaze:
Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, syrupy, and reduced to 1 cup (5-10 minutes)

(Sarah) Making Cookies with Rebekah

Tonight is the big night! We made Santa oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Rebekah mostly ate the chocolate chips :)

(Sarah) Daisy Faith Warner

Daisy Faith Warner

12/14/10

8:21 pm

2lb 11 oz

15.5 inches

(Mom) Pretzel Nut Clouds

Melt in your mouth goodness! Watch out Hickory Farms! Mom is the new candy queen!

Chocolate Peanut Goodness

I spent the weekend at grandma's with mom and Layne and on Saturday morning grandma came into the living room with super yummy treat and fed us that for breakfast. They are so yummy they are like no bake cookies but at the same time ten times better. I then made them for FHE and they were all gone before I got one. I don't have a picture but trust me they are so good.

1 (16oz) chocolate frosting
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup chopped peanuts

Combine frosting and peanut butter in a large bowl. Stir until well blended. Add oats and peanuts. Stir until thoroughly blended. Press candy mixture into ungreased 8" pan. Cut into 36 pieces. Garnish tops with peanut halves.
Note: do not use instant or old fashioned oats!

Christmas Frames

Mom and I went shopping at Porter's and we saw this super cute craft. We had a lot of fun making it together and it goes really well with all of mom's nativities. We used didn't pictures because we wanted to be able to tell them apart and we had different taste in the picture that we wanted. They are really cute.

(Dalea) Decorating for Christmas

I was very determined that I would get my tree up one way or another yesterday. Everyone pitched in and we were able to get things done.
I let the kids put the ornaments on the tree again this year.
They are getting better at not putting them all in the same place.

(Dalea) Thanksgiving Dinner

Every year at Thanksgiving time Kailee always wants to make place cards so everyone knows where they are to sit. This year we actually made some that weren't just made out of paper folded in half. She had a lot of fun making them and helping me make dinner this year. If you were to ask Kailee what her favorite thing at Thanksgiving is touching the Turkey's butt. She loves to stuff the turkey. I can never get the edge of my pies to look good so this year I tried to make my pies look special. We invited Elder Harman and Elder Catron over if they wanted to eat another Thanksgiving dinner that day. After dinner and before pie they played games with the kids. Stratego with Thaniel, and Guess Who with Kailee. Scott even played Rumikub with me.

(Sarah) Checkerboard Cake

All I can say is yummy!!!!!!

Pictures of Sally

(Jenni) Crafting with Mom and Brittney

I got looking on some of the fun craft sites and started telling mom about them. The crafts seemed easy so I got the wood and had mom and Brittney over to craft.

We had so much fun together................yes, Brittney did hers!

It was so fun we made a snowman.

(Brittney) Flower Necklace

Well Jenni had this super cute necklace and since I can't come up with any cute ideas on my own I had to still the idea. I had her help me with necklace so that I could fit in with the new Mormon fade going on in Declo. Isn't it so cute?

(Jenni) My Second Craft Night

This is one of the funnest things I look forward to. I invite some of my friends over for a fun craft night. They each bring one craft for every person and end up going home with that many different crafts. It's so fun to see what each person comes up with.

This was Mom's craft. I thought it would go so well with the white nativity.

(I think mom was more excited about this craft party. She had at least 7 ideas for it. This was my favorite. I know she did this just for me.)

Renee designed this cute stitchery with her daughter. 

Cinda made the cutest wreath ever out of old picture frames. 

I made these blocks along with a Thanksgiving set. I gave them away so I will have to make another set.

Alison made these cute flowers. You can wear them in your hair or clothes. I got a chain and clipped one on. They are so fun and easy. We made her do a demonstration. She had us laughing all night.

Everyone also brought something to eat. Mom's pie recipe is on the blog. Everything was so good and yummy!

It was a fun night with friends!



(Jenni) Turkey Hair Clip

I saw this on my friends craft blog and HAD to make it. I like how she used what she had.....I did the same. I love to dress up my baby doll. This turned out so cute!

(Jenni) Christmas Cards

Card #1

I think this turned out cute. I had to make 12 for my card group. Now I have to go make mom's.

 This is one from last year. I still like it so I thought I would share.

This is card #2

Mom needed me to do hers so I came up with a mini candy bar holder. Super easy to make and I think this would even be a cute way to package earrings for a Christmas present.

Here are the measurements:
1)  Start with a piece of cardstock 2-3/4" x 8"
2)  Score at 3-1/4", 3-3/4", and 7-1/4"
3)  Fold along score lines
4)  Fold up the 7-1/4" score line and staple at the very bottom to create the tuck

Green paper 2-1/2"x3"

Stamped Santa paper 2"x2"